Why is it so hard to get mental help when you need it? I’m a college student with parents that don’t know that anything’s wrong, and $10 to my name.
I started going through what I needed to do to prepare to commit suicide…one of my friends caught on and told me maybe I should go get help. I said I would do it for her. It’s been an uphill battle trying to find someone to take my insurance, and being able to get an appointment. Most places don’t take appointments for the intake paperwork, so I have to miss a whole day of class for first come, first serve stuff.
Then the lady told me that I have to see the counselor and then come back to see the doctor, and depending on how their appointments are set up, that could be a month from now. To be honest, I don’t really have a month. But…I know if I tell the counselor that, she’s going to want to put me in a residential facility……and if I can’t even pay for appointments, there’s no way I can pay for a residential facility for God knows how long.
So my dilemma is, do I tell the truth about how serious my issues are, and possibly end up in a mental facility, or do I attempt to wait it out? Also, have any of you had a problem finding treatment because of payment?
18 comments
I didn’t have a problem getting treatment without payment. If you’re in school, many schools actually have a form of insurance that you paid for with tuition, in case you didn’t know.
You might want to tell your parents. If they are parents that aren’t horrible to you of course. They may be a lot more help than you expect.
I’ve been forcibly placed in mental facilities numerous times, completely needlessly, and I never once paid a single penny. The most they can do is send a bill, which in my case would never get paid since they forced me for nothing I wanted or needed.
I kinda think you’re awesome right now. All of my other bills have been $12 but I don’t even have that right now. I tried going to the school psychologist but she was a fruitcake, and I couldn’t stand her.
I would honestly recommend telling the truth. I wouldn’t try to wait it out when things are this difficult. Hopefully they can offer more if they know how serious it is.
I’m lucky enough to live somewhere with free healthcare, although in some cases the waiting lists are long. I hope you succeed in getting the help you need. I’m not mentioning this as a substitute, but look around for all the self-help you can get online as well. There are sites that teach you techniques like CBT to generally feel better. They could be a helpful addition.
Thank you. I will look into it.
Just about all the colleges in my state that teach more than animal husbandry have clinics. Many, many suicidal and depressed students walk in, have a nice cry, and get evaluated. This kind of thing happens all the time. The more sophisticated schools offer on campus councilling for light to moderate depression. If you are in immenent risk you’ll be gently transitioned to a hospital.
If there was any justice in the world, every $10K of student loans would guarantee you a free hospital visit!
Go. Just tell them you are having trouble coping with life/school/recent football team loss. You don’t have to pour out your life story right off the bat.
This is the crazy world we live in; massive numbers of young people kill themselves and we do so little, but draw a picture of your least favorite professor hanging from a tree and everyone goes into lock down mode!
Not that I know anything about that. I’m merely visiting here, looking for a lentil soup recipe.
I am guessing you are in the US?
Here’s what I know:
I have never had to go in just to do intake paperwork. I filled out forms online or showed up to my appt. 15 mins early to do it. So I am not sure why they are having you do that or why it is first come, first serve. Perhaps this is a type of facility with which I am unfamiliar.
I am assuming your insurance must have a high deductible and out of pocket maximum. If you are admitted to the hospital you will be responsible for what insurance doesn’t pay. However, hospitals usually have various options to help patients who cannot afford to pay. Ask them up front what you can apply for.
There are medical and mental health practitioners who offer reduced rates for those without insurance or who have insurance they don’t want to use (due to high deductibles or copays). This might allow you to search for out-of-network options too.
And there are clinics that offer services on a sliding-fee scale for those who qualify.
Agree with the comments that your parents might help you to look for help if they knew about it. I don’t know where you are located, but it doesn’t sound so different from the hoops i had to jump when having no money for private docs.
Haha I was typing that second comment just as you were posting. So I agree with both of you.
Haha, that does happen, i agree with you too then 🙂
Oh, and I agree with the above comment about asking your parents for assistance.
The parent route is a no go, because I no longer speak with them. My mom banned me from coming back three days ago, and my father……what is that again?
So sorry there is a family rift. Try your school’s clinic. They have tools to help you cope. Don’t be hesitant to use them.
Hope that you patch things with your mother (3 days is little time, and that situation might resolve itself eventually). I hear you on the father thing too, i think i had one back on the 80s, but no idea what happened to him, lol. Even if your school’s psychologist seemed crappy to you she might help in the long run… better than nothing i guess?
Oh, I’m sorry. I completely understand, though.
Omg same happened to me cept the billing is supposed to go to the insurance first so check that cuz they dont always do that. Instituions, corps, private practices ect still want a piece of your dough. I went to the ER before cuz i was feeling suicidal and they told me sorry we cant help cuz u dont Rlly wanna die….in other words had Not attempted suicide (-_-) so had to make doc app to get psych app….honestly to me not worth the wait even tho meds could deff help but the anticipation of those who took oaths to save lives rlly did it for me. I mean an emergency is an emergency and if they cant see that wow. But to me waay more easier to find non traditional means of help. When i went to my first session of counceling diff yr and type off depression/reason, all they want to do is yap and did not wanna hand anything over so bought my own online legally course…geez some ppl. Try some books or natural medicine while you wait for your appointment, anything. I dont thinkvyoud want to get instituionalized you lose many rights.
Yes, I think I might go back to the school psychologist until I can afford to miss a day of school to go do intake. I’m just tired and I was willing to get help for my friend because I don’t want to be seen as a coward. I don’t want people to think I just gave up, but I don’t have the money to pay for it, so I guess I can’t get help. In the end, I don’t know what to do…Giving up is kind of all I know to do at this point. It may be my only way out.
you should be able to get help for free?! I know here on my campus they offer free counseling and mentoring, there’s also a help line that you can call at anytime that’s also free…I dont know if thats the same for your campus, you might just have to do some asking around?
Uhm but u have insurance dont u? Cobra lol anything? It has to cover something usually a good amount, i didnt even get charged a copayment..i mean after going to the billing place they sent me away with my money. I thought clinics and insurance worked together when it comes to billing guess not so you may be surprised but also you can ask before going what % you are covered. I kno its hard and ppl will get desperate with you cuz no one likes a debbie downer. You have to remember sad as it is that its your problem not anyone elses so its up to you to either live as normally with it or work on it till its livable with if its not getting anywhere with therapy, as a saying goes take it to the alter cuz 80% of ppl dont actually care and 20% are glad ur down in the dumps. You should take a day off here and there to rest up and get sun exposure youll be good for a bit more. Its exhausting to be depressed as for me i think about everything at once so when it comes down to it reason with yourself there rlly is no easy way out suicide is rlly hard ur body will fight against it and so will your conscious tough things to go up against i always lose guess its a good thing tho doesnt feel like it but sometimes feeling too much is the problem sometimes you have to be cold hearted, walk away from certain ppl certain things just forget it ever happened. Pretending is hard but we all have to train ourselves or just watching the news would kill us. U cant burden urself with “carrying ur cross” or that of others just let tomorrow worry about itself make that ur motto and ull see less thinking is progress.